It's going to be really tough wickets for bowlers: Donald on T20 World Cup 2026

Bengaluru, Sep 12 (PTI) Legendary Allan Donald said SA20 has added depth to South African cricket, but acknowledged that CSA's showpiece might not serve as a preparation for next year's T20 World Cup to be held in India where pitches will overwhelmingly favour the batters.

The fourth edition of the SA20 will be played from December 26, 2025 to January 25, 2026, and the ICC's marquee event in all likelihood will be held between February and March.

"What batters can do and where bowlers have gone... some bowling figures, when bowlers start to go for 73 in four overs, that's a worrying sign. It's going to be brutal. I can't see the wickets (in India) change much, to be honest," Donald told select Indian media in an interaction facilitated by SA20.

"In South Africa, we have different, obviously, surfaces you've got to deal with. Yeah, I can't see wickets in India changing much. Not for a month of World Cup cricket. I think, if you go bat versus ball and the wickets in India in the World Cup next year, I can't see anything different.

"I think it's going to be really tough and hard wickets for bowlers. We see the IPL and the scores that get racked up in the first half of that tournament are scary, absolutely scary," he added.

But Donald lauded the SA20 teams for making some smart choices in terms of picking up spinners from the auction with their World Cup utility in mind.

"I think that's where the teams have drafted really, really smartly in terms of spin. Paarl and Durban, not so much (spin) in Port Elizabeth. But definitely those two venues. Then when you get to the Wanderers you know, it's tough.

"The Wanderers can be difficult to bat because sometimes they just up and down a little bit. But when you go to Paarl, you're going to face the majority of spin and you've got to be very good at countering that," he said.

While the tournament might not precisely be a preparation for the World Cup, Donald hoped that a few young cricketers will put their hands up in the SA20 to give the selection a pleasant headache.

"Super, super proud of how this league has developed and still developing. The discussion in South Africa at the moment, if you go around the first-class teams and the cricket discussion that we have... is it becoming more difficult for Shukri Conrad (the coach of South Africa) to pick players because youngsters are now coming from everywhere.

"It's just, what's worked for India and the IPL is definitely working for South Africa... young South Africans now are making it hard for the selectors to leave them out," he added.

The 58-year-old then identified a few players who could make a difference for South Africa in the T20 World Cup.

"Dewald Brevis... he's already picked himself, basically. (Lhuan) Pretorius, he's already playing and getting exposure. Connor Esterhuizen has come from nowhere and has put his hand up and said, 'pick me'. You know, so (Kwena) Maphaka is already in and has had a taste of it.

"Kyle Verreynne all of a sudden, has got an opportunity to say, 'I want to be on that flight'. So, the SA20 are just going to bring some guys through and much quicker. So, yeah, South Africa has got really nice problems. So, everyone else has got an opportunity to say to Shukri Conrad, 'I want to be part of your squad'," he detailed.

While Donald was delighted to see the progress of Brevis as a cricketer of late, he urged the fans from keep comparing the 22-year-old to the illustrious AB de Villiers.

"He absolutely based his game around AB, the mannerisms, everything. I think the expectations, I think, may have put him under pressure that this guy is the next AB de Villiers." Donald felt the match-winning hundred he made against Australia last month at Darwin might have settled his nerves.

"But now Brevis knows that 'I can be myself and express myself' without having that burden on his back of saying, you know, AB this and AB that. I think we're now going to see the guy who from ball one is going to take it on," he added. PTI UNG AM UNG AM AM